Automatic gas-lighter.



No. 657,994. Patented Sept. I8, 1900. K. VON VIGTINGHDFF-SCHEEL.

AUTOMATIC GA'S LIGHTER.

[Application filed Nov. 4, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL VON VIGTINGHOFF-SOHEEL, on BERLIN, GERMANY.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,994, dated September 18, 1900. I

Application filed Noii'einbe'r 4, 1898. Serial No. 695,465. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL VON VIcTme- HOFF-SCHEEL, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Berlin, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gas-Lighters, of which the following is a specification.

Heretofore in automatic gas-lighters which are arranged at the top of the chimney of a Bunsen burner or the like the ignition is frequently slow and uncertain when the gas-pressure is weak, because an insufficient quantity of gas reaches the lighting device, (primer and igniting-wire.)

The object of the present invention consists in compelling the ascending gas to brush against the primer, and this is accomplished by covering the mouth of the chimney with a cover which is provided with an opening in which the primer is arranged. ,The ascending volu me of gas is therefore compelled to escape through the opening in the cover and in this way must naturally brush closely against the primer, so that the lighting surely follows. At the same time, moreover, the opening furnishes a way of escape to the explosion at lighting.

Automatic gas lighters have heretofore been devised in which the lighting device is arranged above the chimney underneatha plate or cap covering the chimney, as shown, for example, in English Patents No. 29,076

of1896 and No. 28,709 of 1897. Since in these arrangements the plate or cap is entirely closed, the lighting device is in a stationary gas mass and the lighting does not therefore follow with certainty, because for this purpose a current of gas brushing the primer is mostadvantageous. Furthermore,the closed plate or cap when lighting really occurs offers considerable resistance to the gas, so that a quite violent explosion is produced, and, as a rule, a flashing back of the flame takes place before the movably arranged plate or cap is removed fromthe sphere of the hot current of air. By the present invention these defects in automatic gas-lighters, witha plate or cap covering the chimney, are overcome by the fact that the primer is ar- Figure 1 is a plan View of agas-lighterembodying my invention. section of the same, showing the plate lowered. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the plate raised.

On the upper part of the chimney O is a thin mica plate G, which has an opening D. The plate G is connected with hinge S by a riveted metal strip M and is nearly counter- Fig. 2 is a vertical balanced by a counterweight P. The whole arrangement is mounted by a rider R, and the hinge is so arranged that the plate G remains separated all around about two millimeters from the edge-of the chimney. The

lighting device Z is so fastened to strip M that it is situated in the opening D.

The mode of operation is as follows: If the gas-cock is turned on, the gas in an almost concentrated current streams through the opening D against the lighting device and is ignited by the device in a short time. Through the pressure suddenly arisingin the cylinder the mica plate is thrown back on its hinge and maintains during the burning, in consequence of the upward pressure of the hot gases, an almost vertical position, Fig. 2. By the small separation of the mica plate from the chimney the explosion occurring on lighting is much lessened. After turning off the gas-cock the mica plate remains a few seconds in its vertical position and then sinks gradually to its seat, so that the apparatus .is again ready for use.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. In an automatic gas-lighter,the combination with the chimney of a gas-burner, of a thin plate arranged on and covering the top of the chimney and provided with an aperture, and a primer or lighting device ar-- ranged in said aperture, whereby the esca'pranged in said aperture, substantialiy as set ing gas is caused to brush in a concentrated forth. :0 stream against the primer, as set forth. Signed at Berlin, Germany, this 22d day of 2. In an automatic gas-lighter, the combi- October, 1898. nation with a chimney of a gas-burner, of a KARL VON VIOTINGHOFF-SCHEEL. thin plate movably hinged on and covering Witnesses: the top of the chimney and provided with an W. HAUPT, aperture, and a primer 0r lighting device ar- HENRY HASPER. 

